Tag Archives: peta

Last week while filling in for Sean Hannity Tucker Carlson said he believed that Michael Vick should have been executed for his crimes against dogs. Carlson has taken heat from the left and the right for his over zealous comments. Carlson said “This is what happens when you get too emotional, I’m a dog lover, I love them and…I know a lot about what Michael Vick did…I overspoke. I’m uncomfortable with the death penalty in any circumstance. Of course I don’t think he should be executed, but I do think that what he did is truly appalling.” This is what happens when you want to create a soundbite. You overspeak and then you have to eat your words.

We all know the Michael Vick story. He was a football superstar who also ran a dogfighting ring. He went to prison for the mistreatment of dogs. He served his time and he is now enjoying a sucessful comeback. Now he has said he would like to have a dog. His daughters want one, but he is not allowed to have a dog as a condition of his parole. He says a dog would help with his rehibilitation. Should he be allowed to have one? Tell me what you think.

A few weeks ago PETA released an ad comparing the TLC Duggar family ( they have 19 chilren) with dogs. Over the summer they compared obese women to whales. They also used the image of Mrs. Obama and other celebrities without their permission. There latest ad takes a pot shot at Tiger Woods. What has happened to this organization. The message that you need to spay and neuter your animals is simply getting lost in the controversy. Sure the ads get talked about but is that the goal of the organization? Do they simply want to create buzz or do they really want to help the animals? From where I sit it looks like buzz is the goal.

Why do we even know the Duggars? They have 19 children and they have their own reality show. Does that mean their personal choices should be subject to mocking? Evidently PETA feels it does. Their latest billboard shown above takes dead aim at the Duggar’s lifestyle. It is just the latest in PETA’s mean spirited advertising . They have taken swipes at the overweight, they have used the image of the First Lady without her permission so this is just the latest in their ill-advised strategy. The Duggars made a choice to have the reality show and by doing this they have made themselves fair game. PETA’s response: “The reproduction debate’s heating up as TLC prepares to air the fourth season of its Duggar Family hit, 19 Kids and Counting. This season, the Duggars have upped their clan size from 18 to 19, and it has some arguing yay or nay about the ‘Duggar-style’ approach to reproduction. We say, as long as Jim Bob and Michelle are able to keep a roof over their family’s head and modern-modest clothes on their backs, there’s a far more important reproductive issue at hand. So, we’re offering to run this billboard in the Duggar’s hometown of Tontitown, Arkansas, as well as in nearby Springdale and Fayetteville.” So PETA can use this approach, but having the right to do something does not make it right.

This past week I have seen more and more stories about the epidemic of obesity in America. Nancy Snyderman on MSNBC was interviewing the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic and he was talking about the innovative program that they have launched to fight obesity. He said they have given their employees free access to Weight Watchers, Curves and their own facility in an effort to help them combat this disease. This is the constructive approach, but then her next guest was a representative of PETA who was there to talk about their controversial billboard, he defended it by saying the ad was meant to stimulate discussion. No this is just mean-spirited. There is nothing positive that comes out of this negative portrayal of the overweight. One of my dear friends is overweight and when I called her to express my indignation she said there has been “a lot of fat hatred going on recently”. On another occasion she told me that in our society the only people that can be dumped on without fear of reprisals are the overweight. PETA is committed to protecting animals and making sure they are treated ethically, well maybe just maybe they could extend some of that good will to humans even if they happen to be overweight.